Automobile trim panel



Dec. 6, 193 H. J. WOODAL Re. 20,943

AUTOMOBILE TRIM PANEL Original Filed Feb. :2, 1934 IN VENTOR.

Herbert Woodal] ATTORNEYS.

Reissue d 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Herbert J. Woodam Detroit, Mich., assignor to Woodall Industries Incorporated, Detroit,

Mich acorporation'ot Michigan Original No. 1,999,385, dated April 30, 1935, Serial No. 709,783, February 5, 1934. Application for reissue April 16, 1936, SerialNo. 74,795

18 Claims. (Cl. 154-46) My invention relates to improvements in upcident and. wherein the intended embossed apholstery trim panels, and to those particularly intended for use in the interior of automobile bodies.

An object is to provide a trim panel which possesses the same appearance as an expensive upholstered trim panel yet which may be easily fabricated-at a low cost. My improved panel is durable and of a substantial construction- It is a uniformly homogeneous structure. It is selfsupporting. It includes a rigid foundation board provided with a layer of cushioning material covered'with suitable trim fabric. The finished surface is decoratively embossed. It has previously been the practice in the fabrication of panels of this general character to secure suitable upholstery cloth over a foundation panel board with a layer oi. wadding or thelike interposed between the cloth and the board and to provide a design outlined in the upholstery V cloth by stitching the cloth to the board through the wadding holding the upholstery cloth and wadding toward the board along the line of the stitching.

my improved panel I propose to employ, in

place of the conventional wedding heretofore used, material of the character described in my patent, No. 1,999,383, issued April 30, 1935, which material is used as a wadding between the foun- 30 dation or panel board and the upholstery fabric. This material is a relatively loosely integrated fibrous material having particles of a thermoes plastic binder, such as a suitable latex compound,

interspersed therethrough, whereby upon com- 15 pression under heat it will compact along the line of compression and retain the dnsiflcation given to it. Over areas where the material has v not been so compressed it will retain its normal expanded condition and present the appearance 4'0 of soft, cushioning material. This material is interposed as a wedding between the foundation board and the upholstery'cloth.

The several layers are adhesively secured together as described in suchpatent, No. 1,999,383. 45 The laminated structure is then subjected to the stamping operation which presses the loosely integrated material along predetermined lines outlining the particular decorative design. The loosely integrated fibrous material retains its compression along said predetermined lines of densification maintaining said design.

A speciflcobject of this invention is to provide such a laminated construction wherein this loose.- ly integrated fibrous thermoplastic material is protected against undesirable deformation by acably treated. It then constitutes a sheet of tough,

pearance is preserved throughout the life of the patent. This result is accomplished by providing a layer of tough, pliable, flexible material adhesively secured underneath the layer of up- 5 holstery cloth over the layer of loosely integrated thermoplastic wedding. It has a tendency to maintainrthe normal intended appearance of the upholstered panel and protect the wedding from permanent accidental deformation through im- 10 pact or accidental applicationof localized pressures tl ereaganinst.

The particular construction through which this is accomplished will more fully appear from the following description, appended claims and acl5 companying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of atrim panel -embodying my invention, I

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 1-2 of Fig. l, and v Fig. 3 is a sectional .view through the panel during its process of fabrication and prior to the stamping of the embossed design thereon.

In the several figures of the drawing the panel is shown as embodying a foundation board Ill which may be formed of any suitable composition fiber board of which many are available for user.

If desired this panel board maybe of a waterproof character and be composed of cellulose .flbers held together by an asphalt compound, the

board being compressed so that itis rigid and self-supporting. This board is cut to size and there is spread over one surface thereof a lamination orlayer 01' loosely integrated fibrous material I! which may consist ofv a multiplicity of film-like layers of cellulose material of a character'so fine and filmy as to almost resemble co'bwebs. A multiplicity of theselayers are superimposed. Each of the severalla yers carry asphalt particles interspersed therethrough. They are 40 'sufiicientlycompacted so as to form an integral structure but they present a very loosely integrated layer of wadding or cushioning material. This layer will upon being subjected to heat and pressure tend to retain its compressed densified 5 shape that it is given during the compression. This layer is adhesively secured by a suitable adhesive over one surface .01 the foundation boardl0.

I then provide a layer. which consists of a tough 5 flexible pliable sheet of material. Different types oi material are, availablei'or this use. Certain of these materials are formed or a compound consisting of paper impregnated with latex'and suit-- flexible, pliable material which almost resembles rawhide. It is exceedingly tough and strong. It is quite flexible. Such a layer of material indicated as I4 is adhesively secured to the layer I2.

There is then adhe'sively: secured to the layer I a covering of upholstery fabric of any suitable nature such as woven fabric or any other suitable material This is indicated in the drawing as I6. These several laminations are adhesively secured together. The upholstery fabric is carried over the edges as at iii in the approved manner. The entire panel is then subjected to a stamping operation in a die stamping machine and is given any desired embossed configuration. A convene tional design is shown in Fig. 1. f

Along the lines of compression .the heat and pressure of the die, the die being heated to a' point sufficient to act upon the asphalt particles. the layer I2 is compressed and densified as shown in Fig. 2 at 20.:It retainsthis densiflc ation upon removal of the complete layer from the press;

' The-die is formed as described inmy Patent No.

1,999,383 so that the layer l2 isnot compressed at points except those intended for compression to form the design, and the complete panel presents the appearance shown in Fig. 1.

It has been found, in using panels which include the layer I! but without the layer It here provided, the panels being subjected to pressure at localized points, that accidental deformation of the layer l2 results and that this deformation persists and mars the appearance of the panel. To eliminate thisaccidental undesirable permanent deformation and to render the samepurely temporary in its effect, the layer I4 is provided.

The layer ll protects the layer l2 and serves to prevent it from permanently respondlngto these accidental deformations. It serves to hold it at its-normal expanded shape except along the lines. where it is subjected to pressure in the press.

It not only resiliently resists such deformation but neutralizes its eflfect -by causing the laminated structure to re-assume its original shape.

What I'claim: I I I 1. A trim panel comprising a self-supporting foundation board. a layer of non-self-supporting soft fibrous material possessing thermoplastic characteristics adhesively secured thereto, a 1amination of tough flexible resilient material adj hesively secured over said soft fibrous material and suitable upholstery material secured over said last named lamination.

2; A laminated trim panel comprising a foun-- dation board, a lamination of soft compressible fibrous material possessing thermoplastic characteristics secured to said foundation, board, a sheet of flexible resilient material adhesively secured to. said compressible thermoplastic lamination, said compressible thermoplastic lamination being compacted along a predetermined line against the foundation board holding the resilient sheet with it along said line, said resilient sheet being adapted to protect said compressible thermoplastic lamination against accidental permanent compressibh. A I g 1 v 3. A laminated panel structure comprising a rigid foundation board,-a non-rigid lamination ,of soit compressible cushioning fibrous material possessing thermoplastic characteristics secured to the foundation board, a sheet of tough flexible resilient material-adhesively secured to the com-- pressible thermoplastic lamination, said *lami-- .natedstructure being compressed along a predetermined line outlining a design compacting the.

compressible thermoplastic lamination against the foundation board and holding the resilient sheet along said line thereto, said resilient sheet tending to hold said compressible thermoplastic lamination in its uncompressed state over areas other" than along said line of compression.

4. A lamination panel structure comprising, 'a self-supporting foundation board, a non-selfsupporting soft compressible thermoplastic lamination secured thereto, a flexible resilient sheet adhesively secured over said compressible lamination, a lamination of upholstery fabric secured over said resilient sheet, said laminated structure being compacted along a predetermined line outlining an uncompressed area, said thermoplastic lamination being compacted along said said lines, said resilient sheet tending to hold the thermoplastic lamination in its uncompressed shape throughout said uncompressed area against accidental permanent deformation.

5. A laminated structure comprising a foundation lamination, a resilient lamination of downy fibrous cushioning material secured thereto pos sessing thermoplastic characteristics, a sheet of tough flexible resilient material adhesively secured over said thermoplastic lamination adapted to prevent permanent accidental localized densi- :ications of the'resiiient thermoplastic laminae, ion. i

6. A laminated structure comprising an internal lamination of springy fibrous cushioning material having thermoplastic particles scattered therethrough, a lamination of tough fibrous protective material secured to opposite sides of the internal lamination, said internal lamination be-" ing permanently compacted and densified along a predetermined line holding said two fibrous laminations toward each other along said line.

'7. A laminated structure comprising an internal lamination of soft cushioning material con- 'sisting. of a multiplicity of filmy fibrous layers loosely integrated together and carrying water resistant binder material and arranged between two fibrous laminations secured together at their margins enclosing said internal lamination and each carrying water resistant binder material.

8. A laminated structure comprising an internal lamination of resilient cushioning material consisting of. a multiplicity of filmy fibrous layers loosely integrated together having thermoplastic material distributed interiorly therein, two protective laminations arranged on opposite sides of said internal lamination and secured together along a line enclosing an uncompressed area of the internal lamination, said internal lamination being adhesively secured compacted together along said line, each protective lamination being tough, durable, flexible and water resistant.

9. A laminated structure comprising an internal lamination of resilient cushioning material consisting of a multiplicity of filmy fibrous layers loosely integrated together and carrying water resistant thermoplastic binder, two protective laminations arranged on opposite sides of said internal lamination and secured together at their edges enclosing the internal lamination, each protective lamination being tough, durable, and water resistant and at least one of said protective laminations being flexible and resilient.

10. A laminated structure comprising an inter- 7 nal lamination of flufiy fibrous loosely integrated asphalt imyregnatedmatigial arranged between two laminations of fibrous water resistant mateline against the foundation board holding the re- 'siiient sheet and upholstery cl oth therewith along tive lamination of flexible fibrous sheet material impregnated with a water resistant compound.

12. A laminated structure comprising an internal lamination of resilient cushioning material consisting of a multiplicity of filmy fibrous layers loosely integrated together and having thermoplastic material distributed interiorly therein, two protective laminations arranged on opposite sides of said internal lamination and adhesively secured together through the internal lamination along a line enclosing an uncompressed area of the internal lamination, each protective lamination being tough, durable, flexible and water resistant, one protective lamination being formed of relatively rigid supporting foundation board and the other protecting lamination being a latex saturated sheet of material.

13. A laminated panel comprising a self-supporting foundation lamination, a lamination of soft fibrous cushioning material overlying the foundation lamination, a lamination of protective.

material overlying the cushioning lamination, said cushioning lamination and protective lamination being comp-acted at selected points against the foundation board and adhesively secured compacted together against the foundation board at said points by adhesive binder carried interlorly by the cushioning lamination and compacted together at said points.

14. A laminated panel comprising a foundation board, a layer of soft fluily cushioning material having thermoplastic material distributed interiorly therein and overlying one face of the foundation board, a latex saturated flexible sheet overlying the cushioning lamination, a layer of trim material overlying said saturated sheet, said trim material and saturated sheet and cushioning layer being compacted against the foundation board and adhesively secured thereto at a selected point throughout which the cushioning layer is adhesively secured compacted together and against the board.

15. A laminated panel comprising a self-supporting foundation lamination, a lamination of soft cushioning material having .thermoplastic material distributed interiorly and overlying the foundation lamination, a lamination of moisture resistant protective material overlying the cushioning lamination, a layer of trim material overlying the protective material, said cushioning lamination, protective lamination, and trim material being compacted throughout a determined area against the foundation board and adhesively secured compacted together and against said board by said thermoplastic material through said cushioning lamination throughout said area.

16. A laminated panel comprising an asphalt impregnated foundation board, a layer of fluffy wadding having thermoplastic material distributed interiorly therein and overlying one surface of the foundation board, said wadding being permanently adhesively compacted along a determined line and adhesively secured compacted together along said line, a layer of trim material overlying the wadding, and a latex saturated sheet interposed as a barrier sheet between the trim material and the asphalt impregnated board.

17. A laminatedtrim panel comprising a selfsupporting foundation lamination, a lamination of soft fibrous cushioning material carrying in-- teriorly distributed thermoplastic material and overlying the foundation lamination, a lamination of protective material overlying the cushioning lamination said protective lamination and cushioning lamination being compacted together against the foundation lamination along a. line defining an uncompacted area, said cushioning lamination being held compacted together along said line by said thermoplastic material and said protective lamination being adhesively secured to the foundation lamination through said compacted cushioning lamination along said line.

18. A laminated panel comprising, in combination, a foundation lamination, a lamination of wadding overlying the foundation lamination, a trim lamination overlying the wadding, said wadding having thermoplastic material distributed interiorly therein and being permanently adhesively compacted along a determined line adhesively securing the trim lamination to the foundation along said line, and a thin form sustaining lamination overlying said wadding underneath said trim lamination adjacent to said compacted line of wadding.

HERBERT J. WOODALL.. 

